Pillows might be my favorite styling tool. They bring color, texture, pattern and comfort into a space. They’re less expensive than most accessories and furniture and can be easily swapped, recovered or stored to update a space for the season. Pillows aren’t just a way to decorate a couch — they can be used as extra seating on the floor, a backrest for a daybed or bench, or as extra cushion on a piece of un-upholstered furniture. We have 10 styling examples to show you how pillows add a soft, welcoming presence to any space, indoor and out. –Lauren

Resting on an inherited buffet in the dining room of Anne and Rad’s Richmond, VA Victorian are a pair of turquoise, porcelain foo dogs. Anne shares, “My husband’s grandmother bought them in Vietnam before Vietnam was the name of a war.”

Image above: Matthew and Lauren’s second bedroom in their Chicago, IL home was given purpose with a daybed built by Lauren’s father and Matthew. The bed is styled with pillows for a faux backrest to make the room versatile between an extra living space and a place for overnight guests.